MoFi ELP Brain Salad Surgery 33 1/3 RPM

ELP as a band was barely two years old when Brain Salad Surgery was released in the U.S in November, and the U.K. in December, 1973. Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s fourth studio album and on their own, new Manticore label, was distributed by Atlantic. I remember having trouble getting a decent copy when this was originally released. If I remember right, this label had trouble with noise, warps, and being stamped off – center.

The trio performed on many instruments, yet the album was written with the intention of playing it live. Trilogy’s 24 – track overdubs were hard to reproduce on stage, so they wrote and rehearsed in a converted Fulham cinema, playing material as if for an audience. Lake called the result almost a live recording done in a studio. The voice of the “computer” is Keith Emerson going through a ring modulator on KE9 3rd Impression, his only vocal credit with ELP. Jerusalem introduced the Moog Apollo synthesizer to the world. The first – ever polyphonic synthesizer and the first time on record was a prototype of the Polymoog. It also appears on KE9 3rd Impression. Emerson had to return the prototype to Bob Moog after the tour.

The album does have a different sound, as their usual engineer, Eddie Offord, was busy working with Yes at the time. It was a different engineer as well as a different recording studio. Geoff Young recorded all but "Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression" at Advision Studio. Chris Kimsey recorded the "KE9 1st Impression" at Olympic. The album was supposedly mixed at AIR, but I can’t confirm that, nor who mixed it. I would guess Young. Strange that this important credit seems to be lost.

The album cover, as you’ll remember, was pretty fancy, with a split cut gatefold. In fact, the only place that could make the jacket at the time was in the U.S. The cover painting is by H.R. Giger; design and art direction was by Fabio Nicoli Associates; photography was done by Rosemary Adams. Note how well the MoFi jacket reproduces the unique original. MoFi then takes it a step further by including a nicely cut, double – sided poster insert.

ELP had just returned to England from a big U.S. tour when the album was released. It featured the largest stage, sound, and lighting system in rock history to date; 36 tons of it. It included a 30 – track board and a quad PA system. And do you remember Keith’s flying, 360 degree rotating piano?

The album Charted No. 2 UK and No. 11 US. It was kept off UK No. 1 for two weeks by Yes’s Tales from Topographic Oceans, but spent 47 weeks on the Billboard 200, the longest of any ELP album.

Album tidbits

Brain Salad Surgery was the first album to have no songwriting contributions from Palmer (aside from the drum solo in "Toccata"). He, nevertheless, regarded it as his favorite ELP album.

Shortly after recording the album, they began their massive world tour. Wally Heider Recording Studios recorded their Anaheim, CA Convention Center dates, which became the 3 – L.P. album Welcome Back, My Friends… and they concluded the tour by headlining the California Jam concert. After the tour completed in August 1974, Emerson, Lake & Palmer took an extended hiatus from recording and performing. In 1976, the group reunited to work on their next album, Works Volume 1. Manticore Records went defunct in 1977.

Sonic Comparisons

There are many reissues. I’m just covering what I have currently. My old vinyl LP is a latter 1973 Manticore/Atlantic US pressing. It sounds small compared to the MoFi. It has worse warp at 0.5mm, and worse off – center at 0.5mm, which is average. It is interesting to note that is has much less run – out space than the MoFi. In other words, it was cut wider.

I also have The Atalantic Years double CD from 1992. It includes much of B.S.S. This was digitally remastered by Joe Gastwirt from the original master tapes at Ocean View Digital. I have always loved Joe’s work, and this has been the one to beat.

In addition, I have the 2000 Rhino DVD – Audio containing a 5.1 surround sound mix by John Kellogg and Paul Klingberg. Fun, and combines the last track of side one with the first track of side two as one long track, but doesn’t quite have the sonics.

The MoFi WINS AGAIN! Very quiet vinyl noise. Better dynamics, better details, fuller sound. Nicely packaged gatefold with poster insert, and the MoFi smooth and rounded LP edge trim on the disc feels like quality.

Much of the album was written and recorded to sound like a large, exciting, live event. The reverberation and soundstage sound big, much more fun than the other versions I have. I know that Gastwirt is a purist, with short, simple, quality signal chains, and his work sounds like you’re listening to the original masters. So, my guess is that there is some sweetening going on here that I approve of. I have been suspicious about it in the last few MoFi’s I’ve reviewed, but after comparing this to Joe’s work, I think. Sounds great, tasteful, honest to the original, just enhanced.

Jerusalem: A hymn sung in school in England back in their day. Emerson began working on this a couple of years earlier with The Nice. Lake’s voice resounds beautifully on this track.

Toccata: Very dynamic and separated synthesizer play. Really tough composition (Alberto Ginastera) for Lake and Palmer to be a part of. Carl Palmer wrote a drum part that included triggered synthesized drums. This is before drum synthesizers. Eight little cigar – box – sized preprogrammed synthesizers triggered by regular drums.

The Cuts

Still…You Turn Me On: another acoustic Greg Lake hit. More forward and separated vocals.

Benny The Bouncer: Not a track I have been into, but here it sounds so good that I really enjoyed it for the first time. Emerson just having some vaudeville – type fun, like Trilogy’s The Sheriff, and Tarkus’s Are You Ready Eddie?

Karn Evil 9: What a workout! I remember being able to play drums to this as an early teen. Man, I’m not sure I could do it now.

1st Impression – Part 1: Lake’s guitar on the left has never sounded this good.

1st Impression – Part 2:

2nd Impression: Never liked the fake modulated synth sound of the steel drums, and still don’t. I love the sound of real steel drums.

3rd Impression: High synth on the left sounds much better here.

This recording/playback in general:

Dynamics – Good

Imaging – Good

Soundstage – Solid with good layering

Tonal Balance – Very good

Bass Extension – Good

Bass Articulation – Good